From insecure to skinsecure: Find your inner confidence

lifestyle

From insecure to skinsecure:
Find your inner confidence

Feelings of low self-esteem can plague the best of us from time to time. And it can certainly be tougher to feel confident when the main source of your insecurity is your skin. But low self-esteem can lead to bigger problems down the road, so it’s important to find ways to take it on before it completely takes over.

Take charge of your self-image

Are you generally accepting of yourself, including the not-so-fun-or-flattering parts? Or do you regularly focus on your personal weaknesses or attributes that you consider least attractive to the point that it brings you down? If you tend to view yourself in a more negative light, it’s time to find ways to forgive your faults a little more and focus on your imperfections a little less.

The reality is that low self-esteem can seep into other areas of your life without you even realizing it. It can lead to relationship troubles, poor job or academic performance, and even contribute to problems with alcohol or drug addiction – not to mention stress, anxiety, and a higher likelihood of depression.

But when you’re stuck in a cycle of self-doubt and inward animosity, how do you get out of it?

Shoot for self-love

The goal should be to get to a place where you not only accept who you are, flaws and all, but love yourself in spite of them – maybe even (gasp!) because of them. Start by changing the tone of your inner voice. You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase “you are your own worst critic.” Well, it’s time to treat yourself how you would treat someone else.

Be compassionate. Have empathy. Show support. For you.

Try to see the things that you fear make you “different” from everyone around you as the things that make you unique.

Yes, you may find it hard to ignore that little negative voice right away (you’ve been listening to it for years!). But you don’t want to be judged by other people for the parts of yourself you wish you could change, so why set different standards for the way you look at yourself?

Feel better, look better

If your skin’s current condition still has you feeling something shy of completely confident, find ways to keep it from working against you. Instead of concentrating on your complexion, take the focus away from it by playing with your style. Find hats, scarves, and other accessories that speak to you – and then let them speak for you. Better yet, instead of trying to hide your flaws, play up your favourite features to draw the focus to them.

If you’re still worried about the face you’re putting forward (or arms or legs…or any other body part, for that matter!), confront your concerns head-on by getting ahead of them. That’s right: talk about your skin condition with the people in your life. It will likely help you feel better about it if you’re not beating around the bush with your feelings. (And raising a little awareness won’t hurt either.)

Bottom line: If you can find ways to project a more confident you on the outside, you’ll undoubtedly start to feel better about yourself on the inside. And, really, what’s more attractive than that?

You may soon find that your cycle of self-doubt and inward animosity has shifted to self-assurance and outward appeal.

Get inspired by the Faces of Eczema photo book

The Eczema Society of Canada wants to show the world that people living with a chronic skin condition can still live fulfilling lives. Meet 10 Canadians who aren’t letting their eczema hold them back – and maybe boost your own self-confidence in the process.

Contest Rules

1. The “Comfortable in your own skin” Contest is held by Paladin Labs Inc. (the “Contest Organizers”). The Contest runs in Canada on the Internet from April 26, 2018 at 12:00 a.m. (ET) to May 27, 2018 11:59 p.m. (ET) (the “Contest Period”).

Eligibility

2. The Contest is open to residents of Canada who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory of residence and who have received a personal invitation by email to participate in the Contest. Employees, agents and representatives of the Contest Organizers, of any company, corporation, trust or other legal entity controlled by or affiliated to them, their advertising and promotional agencies, suppliers of prizes, material and services related to this Contest, as well as members of their immediate family (brothers, sisters, children, father, mother), their legal or common-law spouse and any individuals with whom such employees, agents and representatives are domiciled, are not eligible.

2.1 Technical requirements Cookies must be accepted to enter the Contest. Cookies are small files which are stored on a user’s computer. You must have cookies enabled to participate. The cookie we leave on your computer contains minimal information and allows us to recognize you whenever you visit our Website. Cookies allow us to store certain types of information relating to the use that you make of our Website, including your preferred language. Cookies allow us to adapt our Website to meet your interests and preferences

How to enter

No purchase necessary

3. Dermakalm’s Comfortable in your own skin newsletter recipients will receive a newsletter announcing the Contest and containing a link towards the Contest page to access the electronic entry form (the “Entry Form”). To enter, entrants need to proceed as follows during the Contest Period:

3.1 Click on “Enter the contest now” in the newsletter announcing the Contest to access the Entry Form;

3.2 Fill out the Entry Form, on which he/she must provide: his/her first name, last name, email address, postal code and telephone number (the email address must be same as the one used to send the newsletter announcing the Contest);

3.3 Correctly answer the mathematical skill-testing question;

3.4 Declare that he/she has read and agreed to the Contest Rules by checking the corresponding box;

3.5 Click on “Enter”. A confirmation message will appear, and he/she will automatically obtain one (1) entry in the Contest.

4. Limits. Entrants must respect the following limits otherwise they will be disqualified:

4.1 Only one (1) entry per email address for the Contest Period;

4.2 The use of only one (1) email address per person is permitted when an entrant owns more than one.

Prizes

5. Entrants are eligible to win one (1) of three (3) prizes, each consisting of five (5) VISA gift cards of $100, for a total value of $500 (the “Prizes”). The total Prize value is $1,500.The following conditions apply to the VISA gift cards:

a) Any costs or expenses incurred by winners in claiming or using their Prize are the sole responsibility of the winners, including a $3 monthly maintenance fee per VISA gift card (starting 12 months after card activation date);

6. Limit. There is a limit of one (1) Prize per person and per household.

Draw

7. At 10:00 a.m. (ET) on May 29, 2018, at the office of the agency in charge of administering this Contest located in Sherbrooke, Quebec, three (3) eligible entries will be randomly selected from a server generated list of all entries received by the Contest Organizers during the Contest Period.

8. Odds of winning. The odds of winning one of the Prizes are dependent on the number of eligible entries received by the Contest Organizers during the Contest Period in accordance with these Rules.

Awarding of prizes

9. To be declared a winner, each drawn entrant must:

9.1 Be reached by email within seven (7) days of the draw. He/she must reply in accordance with the instructions given in the email within seven (7) days of its receipt. In the case of the return of an email Prize notification as undeliverable, the Contest Organizers will have the entire discretion to disqualify the entrant’s entry or contact him/her by phone;

9.2 Fill out and sign the Declaration and Release Form (the “Declaration Form”) that the Contest Organizers will provide him/her by email to the effect that he/she has fulfilled all the requirements of these Contest Rules, and return it to the Contest Organizers for them to receive it within seven (7) days of its receipt;

9.3 Have correctly answered the mathematical skill-testing question appearing on the Entry Form.

9.4 Upon request and in a timely manner, provide an identification card with photograph.

10. Failure to comply with one of the conditions mentioned in these Contest Rules or to accept the Prize will cause the selected entrant to be disqualified. In such a case, the Contest Organizers may, at their sole discretion, cancel the Prize or hold a new draw until an entrant is selected and declared a winner. In the event that no entrant has been declared a winner within sixty (60) days following the original draw, the Contest Organizers will cancel the Prize.

11. Within two (2) to six (6) weeks following the moment winners are confirmed, the Contest Organizers will deliver to the winners their Prize by mail.

General conditions

12. Verification. Entry Forms, email communications and Declaration Forms are subject to verification by the Contest Organizers. Any Entry Form, email communication or Declaration Form which is, as the case may be, incomplete, fraudulent, providing an invalid phone number or an invalid email address, registered or submitted late, not bearing the correct answer to the mathematical skill-testing question or otherwise noncompliant may be rejected and will not be entitled to an entry or to win a Prize, as the case may be.

13. Disqualification. The Contest Organizers reserve the right to disqualify a person or to cancel one or several entries of a person who participates or tries to participate in this Contest by using methods that do not comply with these Contest Rules or that are unfair to the other entrants (e.g. entries exceeding the authorized limit). Such a person may be reported to the appropriate legal authorities.

14. Conduct of the Contest. Any attempt to deliberately damage the Contest Website and/or any related Website or to sabotage the legitimate course of this Contest constitutes a violation of civil and criminal laws. Should there be any such attempts, the Contest Organizers reserve the right to reject the entrant’s entries and obtain legal or equitable relief under applicable laws.

15. Acceptance of Prize. Prizes must be accepted as described in these Contest Rules and may not, in any case, be transferred to another person, replaced by another prize or exchanged for its cash value, except as provided in the section below.

16. Substitution of Prize. In the event that it would be impossible, difficult and/or more onerous for the Contest Organizers to award a Prize as described in these Contest Rules, they reserve the right to award a prize of the same kind and of equivalent value or, at their sole discretion, the cash value of the Prize as indicated in the Contest Rules.

17. Liability limit: use of Prize. By entering the Contest, any entrant selected for a Prize releases and holds harmless the Contest Organizers, any company, corporation, trust or other legal entity controlled by or affiliated to them, their advertising and promotional agencies, their employees, agents and representatives from and against any damage resulting from the acceptance or use of the Prize.

18. Liability limit: Prize supplier. Any entrant selected for a Prize acknowledges that upon receipt of a gift card, the execution of the services and obligations related to it becomes the responsibility of VISA and People Trust Company and the different merchants of goods and services purchased with the gift card.

20. VISA. The Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with VISA or People Trust Company.

21. Website. The Contest Organizers do not warrant that access to or use of the Contest Website will be uninterrupted during the Contest Period or error-free.

22. Liability limit: conduct of the Contest. The Contest Organizers, any company, corporation, trust or other legal entity controlled by or affiliated to them, their advertising and promotional agencies, their employees, agents and representatives disclaim all liability for any of the following that may limit or prevent any entrant’s participation in the Contest: malfunctioning of any computer component, software or communications line; loss or lack of a communications network; or any transmission that is faulty, incomplete, incomprehensible or erased by any computer or network. The above-mentioned persons also disclaim all liability for any damages or loss that may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by the downloading of any Web page or software or by the transmission of any information related to participation in the Contest.

23. Contest modification. The Contest Organizers reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend this Contest in whole or in part, should human intervention or an event take place that could alter or affect the administration, security, impartiality or conduct of the Contest as provided in these Contest Rules, subject to approval by the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux du Québec, if required.

24. Termination of participation in the Contest. In the event that the computer system cannot register all Contest entries during the Contest Period for whatever reason, or if participation in the Contest must be terminated in whole or in part before the ending date provided in these Contest Rules, the Contest Organizers may, at their sole discretion, proceed with the draw among the entries duly registered during the Contest period or, as the case may be, up to the date of the event ending participation in the Contest.

25. Prize limit. In no event shall the Contest Organizers be required to award more Prizes than indicated in these Contest Rules or to award a Prize otherwise than in compliance with these Contest Rules.

26. Liability limit: participation in the Contest. Persons who enter or try to enter this Contest release the Contest Organizers, any company, corporation, trust or other legal entity controlled by or affiliated to them, their advertising and promotional agencies, their employees, agents and representatives from any liability for damage these said persons may incur as a result of their entry or their attempt to enter the Contest.

27. Authorization. By entering this Contest, any entrant selected for a Prize authorizes the Contest Organizers and their representatives to use, if required, their name, photo, likeness, voice, place of residence and/or statement regarding the Prize for publicity purposes, without any form of compensation.

28. Communication with entrants. No communication or correspondence related to this Contest shall be exchanged with entrants except as provided for in these Contest Rules or at the Contest Organizers’ initiative.

29. Personal information. Entrants’ personal information collected for the purposes of the Contest will only be used to administer the Contest. No commercial or other communications unrelated to the Contest will be sent to entrants unless they have otherwise agreed to receive such communications, or as permitted by law.

30. Entrant identification. For the purposes of these Contest Rules, the entrant is the person whose name appears on the entry form and it is to this person to whom the Prize will be awarded if he/she is selected and declared a winner.

31. Contest Organizers’ decision. Any decision by the Contest Organizers or their representatives regarding this Contest is final and without appeal, subject to a ruling by the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux du Québec on any issue under its jurisdiction.

32. Litigation. For Quebec residents, any litigation respecting the conduct or organisation of a publicity contest may be submitted to the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux du Québec for a ruling. Any litigation respecting the awarding of a prize may be submitted to the Régie for the purpose of helping the parties reach a settlement.

33. Unenforceability. If a section of the Contest Rules is declared or deemed illegal, unenforceable or invalid by a competent court, that section shall be considered invalid, but all unaffected sections will be applied within the limits of the law.

34. Language. In case of any discrepancy between the French and English versions of these Contest Rules, the English version shall prevail.